


By any other name

by The_Yaoi_Goddess



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Amnesia, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Same-Sex Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-28
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-01 16:24:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4026766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Yaoi_Goddess/pseuds/The_Yaoi_Goddess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His Royal Highness Jason Grace has had enough of marriage proposals and conniving mothers and their daughters, so he does what any self-respecting noble would do – he picks up a commoner off the streets and has the dark-haired, dark-eyed boy masquerade as his lover. Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My knowledge of the Victorian era is limited to romance novels, so please forgive any historical and fashion inaccuracies!

First, they would flatter him.

“It’s incredible how you doubled the size of the Grace estate in such a short time!” Lady Aphrodite, Marchioness of Artemisium, paced in front of his mahogany pedestal desk. Her hair was golden-blond and her evening gown was emerald silk. “Truly, ‘tis the blood of a noble lineage that flows in your veins!”

Then, they would tell him a bit of history.

“I understand that you may have reservations about marrying below your station, but,” She sat herself in the carved oak chair in front of his desk. “My mother, Lady Dione, inherited her title from her father. My grandfather, Lord Oceanus, was from the Gaian line. The royal family descended from this line as well.  You see?”

Finally, they would move in for the kill.

“You’re already twenty-one. Don’t you think it’s time to get married?” She retrieved an ornate, floral engraved locket from her purse and handed it to him. Inside was a photograph of a girl about his age, with choppy, uneven locks and a bright, reckless smile. “This is my daughter, Piper. You should invite her to a picnic out in the park. She would love that.”

Thus was the daily life of His Royal Highness the Prince Jason, Heir Apparent to the Throne of Olympus, Head of the Divine House of Jupiter, Duke of New Rome, Earl of Sparta and Baron Mycenae, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Fifth Cohort, Companion of the Order of the Wolf House.

“Pardon my intrusion, Your Royal Highness,” It was his butler, Sir Hedge, in his dark dress clothing and white gloves. He was holding a small oval tray of sterling silver and there was a sympathetic expression on his face. “You have a letter from Queen Bellona of Spain, regarding her second daughter, Reyna, Princess of Amazon.”

Jason groaned and briefly he thought of smashing his head against his cherry wood end tables.

“What should we do, Your Royal Highness?” Sir Hedge continued. “Should we send them a strongly-worded letter? Should we challenge them to a duel? Or should we hire an arsonist to burn their estates to the ground?”

Jason groaned louder.

 

Everything in the Divine House of Poseidon was blue like the ocean, from the dark-framed paintings of dolphins hanging on the walls to the walnut and parcel gilt chairs in the dining room, where the dinner party was being held.

 “Good to see you again, Your Royal Highness.”

Jason turned to see his childhood friend, Perseus Jackson, Head of the Divine House of Poseidon, Duke of Atlantis, Earl of Phthia, Knight of the Bolt, Knight of the Fleece. He was leaning on the wall by a window, wearing a royal blue silk vest and slate-gray trousers. His black cutaway coat was buttoned only in the middle.

“What brings you here, Your Royal Highness?” Percy asked, checking the time with his gold plated pocket watch, boredom obvious on his face. “I thought you didn’t appreciate the women throwing all their unmarried sisters and daughters at you.”

 “I received an invitation,” Jason smiled sarcastically.

Percy laughed, shaking his head, before he nodded towards the back of the room, where the crowd for the dinner party thinned considerably. Jason followed him there, surprised when the mirth in Percy’s face was suddenly replaced by a worried anxiety. It was a strange expression to see on the face of the normally cheerful noble.

“There’s some trouble at the Divine House of Hades,” Percy ran a hand through his hair. “Nic – I mean, the Duke of Tartarus has been missing for some time now.”

 “I’ve never seen the Duke of Tartarus at a dinner party before.” Jason put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. “Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him.”

The Divine House of Jupiter was not on agreeable terms with the Divine House of Hades, because of a dispute that had arisen during the time of the previous ascension. Hades, as the first born and Heir Apparent of then King Cronus Titania, was naturally poised to take over the throne.

However, Hades was a distant man, and cold, and those were two qualities ill-befitting of a king. Despite many a great protest, King Cronus went against tradition and passed the crown to his youngest, Zeus. Because of this history, members of the two Divine Houses generally tend to keep well away from each other.

“So now you’re gathering information from the nobles,” Jason concluded.

“I’m all out of options. I’ve looked for him everywhere – their estate at Elysium, their summer house by the River Styx, their farmhouse at the Fields of Asphodel, and Hades’ Palace.” Percy’s face crumpled, his brows drawing together, his lips pressing into a thin line, in a rare moment of weakness. “Nothing. I can’t find him.”

“Have you informed the Olympus Police? It might be a kidnapping.”

“I can’t. His Royal Highness Hades doesn’t want the news to be made public.”

The doors leading to the dining room opened and Lady Jackson emerged with His Royal Highness Poseidon. Percy clapped Jason on the shoulder, before he walked off to join his parents. Jason went to the pair to greet them. Then, he left quietly, before any of the ladies could set their sights on him.

Percy was one of his closest companions, but Jason knew better than to involve himself in the affairs of the Divine House of Hades.

The missing duke was none of his business.

 

His four-wheeled convertible carriage was waiting for him at the foot of the stairs leading to Poseidon’s Palace. It was a five-glass Landau, drawn by four horses and led by his favourite, Tempest. His luxury carriage was gilded, with panels painted by the famous Rachel Dare. Jason disliked the flashiness of the carriage, but it was a gift from Her Majesty the Queen.

The ride home started uneventfully, that was until they reached Persephone Plaza, which housed the commoners’ markets. The carriage came to a sudden halt in the middle of the street and Jason saw his groom, Bobby, get off from his seat. The roads were dark and poorly-lit, but Jason made out the outline of a person, lying on the pavement.

“Oh gods,” He gasped, flinging open the carriage door. With panicked steps, he quickly walked up to the body and knelt. “Did we run him over? Is he going to be alright?”

“No, Your Royal Highness, we didn’t run him over,” Bobby moved the body so it was on its back. “He was already lying here when we passed by.”

The body belonged to a boy, who looked to be younger than Jason by two, three years. He had dark hair that curled at the tips. His face was pale and he had bags under his eyes. He was wearing a doublet over his plain brown shirt and knickers. His feet were bare. A peasant, but something about his sooty lashes, his high cheekbones, and the curve of his lips reminded Jason of Italian nobility.

“Let’s get him on the carriage then,” Jason gently lifted the boy into his arms, cradling him to his chest on the carriage cushions . “We need to call the Lesser House of Apollo.”

 

It was the morning two days after he brought the stranger to his home. Jason was in his office, sifting through a pile of letters that had suddenly arrived last night. Most of them were from Her Majesty the Queen and the rest were from the nobles who wanted him to – what else? – meet their daughters.

“Pardon my intrusion, Your Royal Highness,” Sir Hedge entered the room carrying his silver tray. He picked up the newspaper from the tray and unfolded it with one hand. “It seems your act of – _ahem_ – grace have made the gossip column of yesterday’s Daily Olympus.”

“I see,” Jason muttered absently, reaching under his desk for his brass letter-opener.

“Unfortunately, it’s for all the wrong reasons.” Sir Hedge lifted the newspaper. “ _’Eyewitness reports say that Prince J. was seen last night carrying a woman from his luxury carriage to his estate at Royal Square. The prince was at a Divine House dinner party, where he might have met the woman.’_ ”

“Their eyewitness must be blind to mistake a peasant in knickers for a noblewoman.” Jason pressed the blade of the letter-opener to the envelope. “Let them wag their tongues. ‘Tis nothing but gossip.”

“Indeed, Your Royal Highness,” Sir Hedge folded the newspaper and placed it back on the tray. “But should we send them a strongly-worded letter? Should we challenge them to a duel? Or should we hire an arsonist to burn their estates to the ground?”

 

“Who are you?” Nico asked the man standing at the foot of his bed, as he clutched the blankets tighter to his chest. His voice was rough with disuse and anxiety. “Where am I?”

From the moment he opened his eyes, he knew he – Nico di Angelo, Head of the Divine House of Hades, Duke of Tartarus, Earl of Opus and Baron Elysium, Knight of the Shadows, Knight Grand Cross of the Athena Parthenon, Companion of the Order of the Undead, Companion of the Hellhounds’ Service Order – was in quite the predicament.

He knew he was, because commoners didn’t have high back, walnut and burl queen-sized beds, like the one he was sitting up on; commoners didn’t have eclectic guest bedrooms with oriental accents, like the one he was in; and commoners most certainly didn’t have private doctors waiting upon their guests, like the one who was watching him closely!

Nico knew even the wealthier members of the Lesser Houses couldn’t afford this kind of indulgence, which only meant he was in –

“You are in the Divine House of Jupiter,” The man standing at the foot of the bed supplied, his hands help up in a placating gesture. His voice was thick with worry. “We were riding home from the Divine House of Poseidon when my groom noticed you lying on the pavement by Persephone Plaza.”

“You have sustained minor injuries from falling on your head on the road and your fainting may have been due to exhaustion, combined with the unfavourable temperatures at nighttime,” The doctor spoke, as he removed his glasses and stored it in the front pocket of his morning coat. “You have neither been sleeping nor eating properly, have you?”

The doctor was peering at him closely, as if trying to ascertain whether or not they’ve been acquainted before, and Nico was becoming more than uncomfortable. He wanted nothing more than to leave this house and go back to the streets, before he could be found out by anyone.

Hesitantly, he shook his head.

“I thought as much. For the sake of your own health, I request that you stay here in the care of His Royal Highness until you recuperate.” The doctor continued. Then, he cocked his head to the side. “For some reason, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve made the pleasure of your acquaintance before. What is your name?”

“Dr Solace, it’s ill-mannered to ask for someone’s name without giving yours first,” The man standing at the foot of the bed walked up to Nico. There was a warm, relieved smile on his face, and his hand was extended for a shake. “I’m Jason Grace, and you are?”

Nico swallowed, his mouth going dry. Years and years of breeding had made it reflex for him to always make himself known, to always make sure everyone in the room knew they were in the presence of the head of the oldest house of Olympus.

But no longer.

He was no longer a duke, no longer a member of the nobility. He didn’t deserve to lead a Divine House, not when he knew he we was a _freak_. He was merely a peasant now, living from day to day on coins from the streets.

“I… I… I don’t know…” Nico whispered. “I can’t… remember.”

“Your Royal Highness,” Dr Solace turned to Jason. “It seems our patient has amnesia.”


	2. Chapter 2

"How are you feeling today?" Jason asked his guest, brushing the boy's bangs from his forehead with the back of his hand and missing the way the other flinched from his touch. "You look better than yesterday."

"Thank you, Your Royal Highness." The boy answered quietly. He was seating up on the bed too rigidly, his body taut as a bowstring. His eyes were shifting around the room, as if looking for an escape.

Jason wondered if the boy was not accustomed to the presence of royalty. Jason was fairly certain that was the case, as the boy was merely a commoner. For a commoner, however, he was remarkably well-mannered and well-spoken. Perhaps he had worked for nobility before?

"Have you remembered anything yet?" Jason leaned back in his diamond tufted armchair, which was facing the bed, and gave the other a reassuring smile.

The boy tensed even further.

Jason muttered a few curses in his head. He opened his mouth to tell his guest that everything was alright, there was no need to force himself to remember, Jason was willing to wait. But his guest spoke first.

"I… I remembered s-something," The boy said.

"Yes?"

"I remembered… my um, name," This time, his voice was soft, shy even.

"What is it?" Jason prodded gently.

"It's - " The boy paused and for a moment his expression was uncertain. Then he swallowed and looked at Jason.  " - Angelo."

"Angelo?"

The boy nodded.

"Angelo," Jason repeated, liking the sound the foreign name made on his lips. "Angel. It's a beautiful name. "

Angelo looked at him questioningly.

"It suits you." Jason smiled, feeling sheepish.

 _Angelo's_ eyes turned as wide as the porcelain saucers Hedge served tea on, and for the first time Jason noticed his guest had eyes the color of freshly-brewed long black coffee. Then the boy's cheeks turned pink and pinker, until his face was the same shade as the magenta tulle gowns Jason saw ladies wearing at the balls.

"Thank you," Angelo murmured, embarrassed.

Jason felt his own cheeks heating up at the expression on the boy's face, and he excused himself hurriedly. There was something wrong with his stomach, he thought, but in truth he felt something wrong with his chest as well. His heart was skipping beats and his pulse had quickened.

The minute Jason reached his office, he rang his bell and called for Dr Solace.

 

"Would you like to take a stroll through the garden today?" The door to the guest bedroom opened.

It was the prince and his unending - _ahem_ \- grace and hospitality. Yesterday Jason took him fishing by a nearby pond and the day before that they were touring the grand estate. Frankly it was making Nico sick.

It reminded him too much of his previous life. But Nico couldn't bring himself to leave, because here he had food to eat and a bed to sleep on. His life on the streets had been impossibly difficult. Before sunrise he would get up to look for work, but everyday he went to sleep cold and tired and hungry. Everyday he would dirty his face and hands with soot and ashes, for fear of being discovered. But here, no one knew him - not even the prince - and he was safe.

Nico nodded, wanting the illusion to last one more day.

 

The manicured garden was separated from the rest of the estate in wrought iron fencing, the metal bars delicately twisting to form patterns of the fleur de lis. Lining the stone paths were flowerbeds edged with terracotta tiles and red-glazed planters. The garden had flowers of all colours and sizes and in the middle was an ornately-carved arbour with a built-in seat, beside a three-tiered birdbath made of stone.

Nico was seated by the arbour, mindful of the distance between him and the prince, who was leaning against the birdbath. The prince’s face was turned towards the sky. The sunlight warmed his skin to bronze and made his hair appear silver. Outlined against the clouds, he looked like a god.

All of a sudden, Nico was struck by the desire to run his fingers through that hair. He shook his head at the thought, overcome with guilt. He really _was_ a freak. Nico quickly lowered his head, ashamed of himself for even _looking_.

Oblivious, Jason walked from the birdbath down the stone path. He crouched by some planters and Nico was careful not to follow him with his eyes. Moments later, Jason walked back to the arbour, his approaching footsteps the only sound in the garden aside from the chirping of birds.

“For you,” The prince said, handing Nico a makeshift bouquet.

Nico couldn’t speak.

“White carnations,” The prince shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and pushed the flowers into Nico’s cold hands. “They mean remembrance.”

“Thank you, Your Royal Highness.” Nico closed his fist around the damp, green stems.

“Call me Jason,” The smile on the prince’s face was unguarded and genuine, unlike those he showed to visiting guests and distant relatives.

Nico couldn’t help but smile back.

 

Jason watched as Angelo flipped through another book, his fingers running over the gold-printed fore-edges. The boy’s initial discomfort at being around Jason had diminished considerably and presently he was lounging on a button back chair, one of his legs crossed over the other. Jason sat opposite him, separated by a marble top parlour table. All around them were towering bookcases, all filled to the brim with different books.

Jason had discovered Angelo had a penchant for reading, which was unusual for commoner. However, it was an oddity Jason welcomed, as he enjoyed the long hours of comfortable silence and the lively literary discussions that followed immediately after. Jason laughed as Angelo scrunched his eyebrows together and pursed his lips, evidently deep in thought.

There was a knock on the door to the grand library. Angelo stood up to return his book to the breakfront bookshelf. Then, he moved to the back of the library, possibly to give Jason and his new visitor some privacy, and Jason wondered where the commoner could have learned such manners.

“Pardon my intrusion, Your Royal Highness,” Sir Hedge entered, closing the door of solid walnut behind him. “I have received a message from the Palace of Mount Olympus.”

Jason nodded.

“Word has reached the Palace that the Heir Apparent has made relations with a young noblewoman from the Divine House of Poseidon.” Sir Hedge stared pointedly at the direction where Angelo disappeared to. “The Palace has further been informed by the Lesser House of Apollo that the presence of a doctor has been requested for on numerous occasions.”

Jason raised an eyebrow.

“There have been speculations among the Royal Family that the reason for Your Royal Highness’s sudden secrecy and the regular visits of Dr Solace is that – “ Sir Hedge paused. “ –  the young noblewoman may be with child.”

Jason sighed. He expected this kind of idiocy from the tabloids, not from the members of the dignified Royal Family! His Royal Majesty the King had been hounding him for months already, asking for the next heir to the throne and Her Royal Majesty the Queen had been bothering him for _years_ , demanding she be introduced to a daughter-in-law.

But Jason had neither an heir nor a wife.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Angelo walking quietly among the bookshelves. The boy moved with such grace it was hard to believe he belonged to the peasantry. He even had the manners of a noble!

"Anything the matter, Jason?" Angelo called over the bookshelves, when he noticed the prince staring at him.

Jason shook his head, a smile on his lips.

He had neither an heir nor a wife.

Yet. 

 

"Your Roy – _Jason_ , I can't thank you enough for your hospitality, and I don't believe I would ever be able to repay you."  Nico said to the mirror in front of him. "I haven't regained my memories yet, but I believe I will have a better chance at remembering outside the palace. For that reason, I would like to ask to leave."

He thought his voice sounded sincere enough and, satisfied, he left his room to seek out the prince.

The prince's office had a door made of solid oak and, with shaking fingers, Nico found himself knocking before he could change his mind. He heard Jason through the carved wood and he took a deep breath as he opened the door.

"Angelo, I was about to call for you," The prince gestured to the seat in front of his table and motioned for Nico to sit.

Nico was rooted to his seat. The prince wanted to call for him? Why? What for? What had he done? For a brief second, the thought that he had been discovered crossed Nico's mind. He began to panic. His fingers twitched and his heart hammered in his chest.

"You don't look well," The prince said, his voice worried. He reached out a hand and placed it on the boy's forehead. "But you feel fine."

"I-it's nothing, Your Roy – _Jason_ ," Nico stuttered, removing Jason's hand, and he knew he had lost the chance to say the speech he had so diligently rehearsed. "What did you need of me?"

"Oh, that's right," Jason looked thoughtful, and then embarrassed. "I have a favour to ask of you."

"A favour?" Nico didn't know what the prince could possibly want from him, but he knew this was his chance to repay his debts. Then, he could leave. "Anything, Jason."

"I am aware that what I am going to ask of you is not… conventional, to say the least." Jason looked nervous. "I understand if you wish to refuse. I do not want you to help me simply because I helped you. Helping you was a reward in and of itself."

"Anything," Nico said, a little louder this time, a little more certain, because he knew he would do anything this man asked of him.

"I need you," Jason paused, his expression pleading, his blue eyes shining with hope, and he looked at Nico straight in the eye, "I need you to marry me."

Nico's jaw dropped.

Anything but that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was actually going to be a cross-dressing scene where Nico would be forced to put on a gown and yes a corset but then I was like, naaah. Anyway, thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Chapter 3

“Have you gone mad?” Angelo snapped, his hands balled into shaking fists at his sides. His voice was harsh and unforgiving and Jason was stunned speechless. It was the first time someone had dared speak to him like this. More than that, it was the first time he had seen Angelo like _this_.

“What would your family think?” Angelo continued angrily. “Do you want to be disowned?”

Jason stood up from his chair as well, but slower, taken aback by Angelo’s scathing glare. Cautiously, he reached out a hand across his desk to the boy, at a loss of what else to do. There was hurt on the boy’s face and he looked at Jason’s outstretched hand with sharp distrust.

“The people will mock you, judge you. They’ll say you’re _sick,_ ” Angelo spoke through gritted teeth, but the last word was almost a whisper.

Jason didn’t know the sensation  first-hand, but he felt as if he’d been slapped, as if his feet had been knocked out from under him. It was as if he were standing on thin ice, and the slightest mistake would plunge him into the cold, dark depths below.

“Truly, it was not my intention to offend. I… I sincerely apologize, Angelo,” He said, voice thick, his hand hanging in the air between them, but the other’s reply was silence. “If you would kindly tell me what was it that offended you so?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” Angelo shook his head, eyeing the door. He wrapped his arms around his body, as if he would fall apart if he didn’t hold himself together. “Nobody does.”

“I’ll try to, if you’ll let me.”

At this, Angelo seemed to return to himself. He blinked slowly and stepped back, moving away from Jason. He looked defeated, his shoulders hunched, his hair falling in his eyes. He eyed the door longingly, but when he looked at Jason, his eyes were dark and anguished and full of hesitation.

“Trust me,” Jason held out his hand again, palm up, wanting nothing more than to reach out to Angelo.

“I do,” Angelo whispered into the room, and his voice was the only thing Jason could hear.

 

Nico thought it was a kind of poetic justice that he had spent the past months fooling the prince and at the moment he was about to spill his life secrets to the same person. Perhaps he deserved it, and perhaps he also deserved the reaction he knew he would provoke. The prince would be disgusted and then Nico would be thrown out of the estate, if he were lucky. If he were not, then he wouldn’t have to worry about hiding anymore, because the prince would surely exile him.

But Nico trusted Jason.

“I’m queer,” He blurted out in one quick breath. His hands were fists on his lap, his knuckles white against the color of his brown trousers. His fingers were shaking, as well as his knees. He braced himself for the mockery, waiting for the cruel words and condescending sneers.

“I see,” Was the prince’s only reply.

Nico lifted his eyes from his lap and stared at Jason’s face, looking for any signs of deceit. There were none. Jason was leaning back on his chair, his hands were on the desk, fingers interlaced. He was looking at Nico with eyes that were curious and concerned and almost affectionate.

“What?” Nico asked, bewildered.

Jason said nothing, only raised his eyebrows, mirroring the confusion on Nico’s face. He looked dumbfounded, unsure of whether or not he’d said something wrong. Then, his expression turned apologetic. He opened his mouth and Nico was certain it was to say sorry.

“Don’t. It’s nothing,” He cut off the prince, waving a dismissive hand. “Just not the… reaction… I was expecting.”

“What were you expecting?”

“More… shouting, I guess,” He laughed weakly.

The prince’s brows furrowed. He looked worried and Nico realized with a start that the prince was worried for _him._ The thought filled him with a sense of comfort and relief. But his story was not yet finished.

“In my mother’s country, people were more accepting,” Nico continued. “But I had to move here, to take over my father’s station. While I was growing up, I realized I was… attracted… to one of my childhood playmates.

My sisters told me it was alright. It was nothing to be ashamed of. I couldn’t help how I was, could I? But one day one of our servants found out and… she called me all kinds of hurtful names,” Nico gritted his teeth, remembering how the words hurt him like daggers. “She said it was unnatural. She said I was a freak, a disgrace to my father.

She said she would tell my father, so he could call a doctor or a priest and have me cured. I left our estate that night.” By the time Nico had closed his mouth, there were tears running down his cheeks. He wiped them away with the backs of his hands, angry at himself for crying, for being weak.

“Here,” Jason’s voice was soft and understanding, and his hand was steady when he offered Nico a handkerchief. “Thank you for telling me.”

 

The sight of Angelo crying did odd, painful things to his chest and Jason hated how powerless he felt. Angelo looked hurt and vulnerable and Jason wanted to hold him, comfort him. But the only thing he could do was give him a handkerchief, a handkerchief he didn’t even want to take.

“I’m sorry for lying to you about having amnesia,” Angelo lowered his eyes.  

“You’re not a commoner, are you?” Jason asked, as gently as he could.

Angelo’s eyes widened, belatedly realizing his mistake, and he looked at Jason warily. The prince held the gaze as steadily as he could. He held out his hand for the second time that day and was surprised when Angelo took it between his. The boy’s hands were soft and smooth, hands that were not used to hard, manual labor. They were warm, too, and slightly wet with tears. Jason thought Angelo’s hand fit perfectly in his.

“No,” Angelo confessed. “And Angelo’s not my name either.”

“What is it, then?”

“It’s… I-I’m, um,” His hands were shaking; Jason gripped them tighter. “My name is Nico.”

“Nico, is it,” Caught up in the moment, Jason leaned forward to cup the other’s cheek with his free hand. “Victory, correct?”

_Nico_ nodded.

“Why Angelo, though?”

“It’s my last name… well, part of it, anyway,” Nico answered casually. “I’m Nico di Angelo.”

Jason jerked back from Nico like he’d been burnt.

_Hell_.

 

The prince, Nico thought sullenly, was trying very hard to keep his emotions under control. One moment his blue eyes were wide with shocked horror and the next they were narrowed in focused concentration. He was rubbing circles into his temples with his fingers and his other hand was a fist on the desk. Then he groaned, as if letting out all his frustrations, before he stared at Nico calmly.

“You’re the missing duke,” He said, his voice even and measured, his face a cool, composed mask.

Nico wondered if this was the angriest the prince of Olympus got. He nodded.

“Your father, His Royal Highness Hades, has been looking for you.”

Nico nodded again.

“What are you planning to do now?”

“I, um, I’ll…” Nico hadn’t thought about it before, but he couldn’t stay here any longer and he had no other place to go. “I’ll be boarding a ship to my mother’s country.”

“Enough,” Jason straightened up in his chair, and Nico knew from the set of his jaw and the look in his eyes that this was not _Jason,_ but His Royal Highness the Prince, all business and estates and responsibilities. “You are the Head of the Divine House of Hades! You have an obligation to this country!”

“No, I don’t – “

“What about your family?” The prince sighed. “You don’t give them much credit, do you?”

Nico cringed. He shrank back into his chair, all his protests dying in his throat. He thought of their estates, with its sprawling gardens and marble rooms. He thought of his father and his step-mother, who relied on him to take over for them. He thought of his sisters. They must be worried about him.

“You don’t have to hide anymore.” The prince’s voice had softened.

“What do you want me to do?” Nico cried out.

“I told you already,” Jason smiled. It was a light, easy smile. “Marry me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THERE IT IS AGAIN: Jason ending a chapter with a marriage proposal! (Because I honestly don't know whether to end this with the wedding or make it longer...) (And because Jason is an adorable little darling)


	4. Chapter 4

“Your Royal Highness, with all due respect, I don’t think this is a very good idea,” Nico whispered nervously. He was shaking all over, from his fingers to his knees, and he was deathly pale. His color sharply contrasted his black dress coat, which he was wearing over a white waistcoat, and his black trousers.

“You’ve already agreed to it, though,” Jason was wearing almost the same attire, but he had a white cravat to go with his black frock coat. “And our guests are waiting.”

They were walking to the estate’s grand ballroom, in a hallway with encaustic tiles and simple white painted walls. Nico was turning greener and greener by the moment and he looked like he was seconds away from fainting. He held out a hand to steady himself.

Jason caught the hand, moving closer to Nico. He placed his other hand on the back of the boy’s nape and Nico clutched at the lapels on Jason’s coat as if it were a lifeline. Hesitantly, Nico rested his forehead on the other’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” Jason ordered, although he knew that was easier said than done. “Just breathe.”

Nico inhaled and exhaled heavily for a few moments and Jason felt the rise and fall of the other’s chest against his own. Nico was still pale when he finally pulled away, but he had regained some of his original color. There was weak determination in his eyes.

“Let’s go before I change my mind,” Nico muttered. “Again.”

Jason steered them towards the double doors at the end of the hall, without letting go of Nico’s hand. He knew Hedge was on the other side, waiting for his signal. The prince knocked on the door, twice, and it opened outwards into the ballroom.

The ballroom was designed to look like the middle of an elegant garden. Overhead was a painted sky, stretching from the brilliant colours of dawn to the twinkling stars that dotted the night. The expansive walls of the room were covered in wallpaper printed with tangles of roses and sprays of ivy and robins that looked like they were about to sing at any minute.

They emerged on a stage overlooking the ballroom. Jason could see the ladies in their light-coloured gowns chatting with each other delicately behind their fans. The gentlemen were in dress-coats and fitted pants, making rounds to introduce themselves.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Hedge boomed, his voice echoing as if they were in an auditorium. “His Royal Highness the Prince of Olympus and His Grace the Duke of Tartarus!”

A stunned silence fell over the ballroom. Jason moved forward to address the crowd and it were as if a spell had broken. All of a sudden the ballroom erupted in noise. Jason heard the ladies’ excited chatter and the men’s hushed murmuring. They looked at him, then Nico, then their interlaced fingers, shock and confusion in their eyes.

From the corner of his eyes, Jason saw Nico clutch at his chest with his other hand. The prince made a show of looking over the crowd, moving his head slowly from side to side. He didn’t have to clear his throat. Everyone immediately went silent.

“I appreciate your presence at the first Royal Ball to have been arranged by the 31st Head of the Divine House of Jupiter,” Jason spoke without hesitation, firm and decisive. “We have prepared for you the finest music and food and wine, because tonight we celebrate!

Tonight, we celebrate the reconciliation of two Divine Houses,” Jason raised his voice and lifted their joined hands. “Tonight we celebrate _our_ engagement!”

Beside him, Nico promptly fainted.

 

Nico woke up to the sound he was quickly coming to associate with mornings: the high-pitched giggling of girls outside his door. He sat up slowly. The space beside him on the king-size bed was empty, as per usual. Jason was a morning person and liked to have his paperwork done by afternoon. He reserved his evenings for appointments.

 Nico walked up to the door, braced himself, and opened it.

“Good morning, Your Grace!” Came the cheerful greeting from half a dozen female smiling faces. Some of them were the servants of the household, while others were the nobles who were visiting to personally give their regards.

“Good morning,” Nico replied weakly, before politely excusing himself, painfully aware that he was wearing only a plain cotton nightgown.

Almost a week had passed since the announcement of _their_ engagement and still Nico was not used to all the attention. He supposed he had to be grateful for the girls’ support and acceptance, but it was hard to be, not when they kept on asking him all sorts of personal questions about his relationship with Jason!

Nico walked hastily, praying all the while that he wouldn’t run into any more nobles. When he finally reached Jason’s office, he opened the door without knocking and stepped in. He closed it as soon as he entered, a relieved smile on his face.

“Slept well?”

Nico looked up at the voice. The pedestal desk in the middle of the room was covered in stacks and stacks of paper. Seated behind the desk was His Royal Highness the Prince, a pen in hand and a cup of tea in the other, hair still mussed from sleep.

“Something came from my father today,” Jason put down the cup and picked up a letter.

Nico made himself comfortable on the chair in front of the desk, tucking his legs beneath him.

“He thinks the engagement was merely a show.” The prince shrugged. “So at the time of my ascension, I will be a more famous king than he.”

Like Jason’s father, not everyone was in favour of the engagement. For the first few days after the announcement, some nobles had done nothing but protest, talking about the sanctity of marriage and the problem of inheritance and heirs and all that. Jason had to deal with each of them personally.

 Overthrowing the reigns of tradition was the first step to Jason’s dream of abolishing the Olympian monarchy and re-establishing the country as a democracy. The times were changing, Jason said, and the country had to change as well if it wanted to grow. It was a beautiful dream, Nico thought, which was why he had vowed to help accomplish it.

“Your father has an ego the size of Olympus,” Nico reached for Jason’s cup and took a slow sip.

“I don’t think so,” The prince said thoughtfully. “This country’s not that small.”

The joke could’ve probably gotten them both arrested, but Nico burst out laughing anyway. He missed the way the look in Jason’s eyes softened, the way his mouth pulled up at the corners into a smile, the way a slight blush crept its way to his cheeks.

“On a more serious note, though,” Jason cleared his throat. “Her Royal Majesty might visit us soon.”

Nico nodded. He had a feeling the Queen wouldn’t want to be left out, but the calm with which he took the news still surprised him. Normally, he would be beside himself with panic. This time, however, he felt confident, almost fearless. He already had confessed to the whole country that he was queer, what else did he have to be afraid of?

Besides, he didn’t feel alone anymore. He had Jason, whom he trusted and _loved,_ though he knew not how much. Still, sometimes, just sometimes, he let himself think that Jason loved him as well.

“You don’t have to meet with her if you don’t wish to,” Jason reached across the desk to gently ruffle Nico’s hair.

“I want to,” Nico leaned towards the touch, “It would be an honor.”

“How about _your_ parents?”

“You should avoid my father at all costs. He’s very good with stygian spears,” Nico gave the other a wry smile. “Ah, but my mother and sisters would love to meet you. They’ll be here in a few days.”

The wind was blowing a little stronger now and Nico shivered, looking indignantly towards the room’s open windows. Jason stood up, shrugging off his coat and revealing the dark, blue vest he was wearing underneath. He walked around the desk to the chair in front.

“Also, we need to plan the wedding ceremony soon,” He said, draping the coat over Nico. “Do you have any preferences?”

“Italy has the most beautiful churches,” Nico thought of the basilicas and cathedrals he used to visit and how he wanted Jason to see them, too. He felt the warmth of the coat seeping into his skin and he smiled up at Jason gratefully. “But I’ve said ‘I do’ to you already, haven’t I?”

A thoughtful expression crossed the prince’s features. Slowly, he leaned down, bending his body over the chair. He placed his hand on the back of Nico’s neck. Nico blinked twice, confused, his heart pounding in his chest when he realized Jason’s face was moving impossibly close to his. Hesitantly, he leaned upwards towards the prince.

Then the door slammed open.

A woman with chocolate-brown hair stomped inside, her red satin dress billowing behind her.

“Your Royal Highness,” She curtsied to the prince, completely unfazed by the intimate moment unfolding before her eyes.

“Lady Aphrodite,” Jason dropped his forehead onto Nico’s shoulder and groaned.

“I was not aware that you were more interested in men,” She was studiously ignoring Nico. “I ought to introduce you to my son. His name is Aeneas and he is the Duke of Troy.”

“We’ll talk about the wedding tomorrow,” The prince lifted his head, a lopsided, resigned smile on his face. His breath tasted like tea on Nico’s lips, his words a promise to Nico’s ears. “Tomorrow, alright?”

“Tomorrow, it is,” Nico laughed and ran both his hands through Jason’s golden-blond hair. “And all the tomorrows after that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really bad with updating multi-chapter fanfics (I keep telling myself to stick with oneshots), so although I’ve written a few other chapters for this story, I’ve decided not to prolong it and end it here. I might write for this ‘verse again (drabbles like the wedding, and stuff like family dinners with the King and Queen) and if I do, I’ll post them here as updates, but for now, the story is complete. Thanks for seeing this through with me!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I'd love to hear what you think :D


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